


cultural miscommunication

by Carcharias



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Dragon Riders, Dragon shifters, Interspecies Sex, M/M, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-29
Updated: 2015-11-29
Packaged: 2018-05-03 23:56:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5311931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carcharias/pseuds/Carcharias
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sehun isn't really sure how he's supposed to adapt this particular cultural tradition to human ways, and probably shouldn't take Jongin's advice. Ever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	cultural miscommunication

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xiukisses](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xiukisses/gifts).



> For xiukisses! I hope you enjoy~

“Jongin.” No answer. He tries again.

“Jooooongiiiin.” An eyelid twitch this time. Maybe one more...

“Joooooooooooooooongi--”

“What the fuck, Sehun, what do you fucking want,” Jongin grumbles, eyes open and narrowed, red slitted pupils still wide from sleep but rapidly shrinking in the light. Or maybe irritation. Probably both. 

Sehun sighs dramatically, flopping down into the grass next to where Jongin’s draped across a flat sleeping boulder in the sun, over a small lake. It’s midafternoon and the sun’s high in the sky, shining over the water. It’s Jongin’s favorite place and time to nap, but Sehun is _distressed_ and it’s his best friend’s job to help him solve those problems. 

His bulk lands on the ground with a loud _whump_ and a scaly silver tail thwaps across Jongin’s snout. Jongin growls and snaps at the tail, causing Sehun to chirrup in alarm and bite at Jongin’s hind leg, where he’s ticklish. A short wrestling session ensues, finishing with Sehun draped unattractively over Jongin’s back, spine ridges digging into Sehun’s belly. But Jongin’s dark, purplish scales are heated from the sun and soothing. Sehun sighs again, this time partly out of contentment.

“Just tell me what you want so I can get back to sleep,” Jongin rumbles, huffing in irritation. 

Sehun shifts a bit, suddenly uncomfortable, and lays his head sullenly along the top of Jongin’s own. “It’s Challenge Day tomorrow.”

Jongin laughs, a braying laugh that echoes back towards the cliffs where they sleep with their large coven, one of the most populous dragon rider communities in the region. Sehun knocks his jaw against Jongin’s head. “Stop that! Don’t laugh, it’s not funny!”

Jongin knocks his head right back up, making Sehun whine in pain as his fangs knock together. “Look I’m not the dumbass who ended up bonded to a _human_ ; I bonded with a dragon like you’re supposed to.”

“Hey! Dragon shifter-human bonded relationships are neither uncommon or wrong, and are just as valid as relationships of the same species!” Sehun can feel Jongin roll his eyes.

“You sound like Junmyeon.”

“I just don’t know what I should do!” Sehun whines, ignoring him. “This is our first Challenge Day together and he’s not a dragon so do the dragon rituals even work on him? I can’t challenge him as a _dragon_ , that would be so stupid!”

“Yeah, you’d look like a real asshole, being five times his size and all that.”

“Shut up!” Sehun squeezes Jongin a little around the middle. “You’re my best friend, you’re supposed to help me when I need you!”

Jongin sighs. “Look, why don’t you just...try to translate our behaviors into human ones? Like, think about how you’d do it in a human body?”

Sehun purrs a little, thinking. “You know, that might just work. Thanks, Jongin.”

“You’re welcome.” Jongin settles, and Sehun can feel his breathing begin to even out after a moment.

“Now, I just need to practice it on yo--”

Jongin flings Sehun off his back into the water.

\-------

After dragging Jongin into the lake with him and both flying back to the caves for dinner, Sehun shifts and locks himself in his rider’s quarters, knowing that he’s guaranteed alone time for at least a couple hours while the riders discuss politics or..some...stuff. Sehun doesn’t care, he’s not interested in most human things, unless they concern his rider, Minseok.

Minseok. Sehun smiles dreamily, picking up Minseok’s coat from where it’s draped over a chair and wrapping it around his too-broad shoulders. Minseok, his friend, his rider, his human partner in life and battle, his _bonded._

Sehun hadn’t been lying to Jongin earlier, and neither had Junmyeon, when he’d been explaining the history and many natures of human and dragon shifter relationships. While most humans and dragons took romantic partners from their own species, some did bond across lines, especially if--as in Sehun and Minseok’s case--they were already partnered. 

It’s just not...common, and Sehun and Minseok are the only ones in their community bonded like this. They’re not ostracized, it just means they’re a bit of a novelty, moreso amongst the older dragons and humans. It also means that Sehun is very much alone when it comes to relationship advice.

Challenge Day is tomorrow, the day that unbonded dragons try to forge a bond with someone, and bonded dragons celebrate their bond. Dragon traditions and rituals are steeped in fight and battle, though not as bloody as old human tales claimed, and Challenge Day is no different. A dragon shows their desire for another by challenging them physically, before an audience, typically by pinning them to the ground. Basic, but effective. If the other accepts, they return the challenge and the two dragons fly together in private, then have sex, often in both forms. Many a dragon romance centers around Challenge Day, and almost as many tragedies.

But Sehun doesn’t want to _fight_ Minseok, and he’s pretty sure that if he tried to pin Minseok to the ground in dragon or human form, he’d either squish Minseok or get his ass handed to him. So dragon form is obviously out of the question, and he’ll need to figure out some way to pin Minseok without trying to actually physically test himself. 

After an hour and a half of deliberation and bizarre-looking practice on Minseok’s mirror, Sehun thinks he has an idea. But the remaining issue is that, well, Sehun doesn’t _want_ to challenge Minseok. Usually the bolder, more assertive member of the dragon couple will perform the initial challenge, and Sehun knows that he’d never be that dragon. But Minseok’s not going to do it--when Sehun had mentioned Challenge Day, Minseok had merely laughed about how everyone else’s dragons were going to be useless tomorrow, and then grumbled about how that meant he and Sehun were stuck with all the outside work.

But Sehun is a dragon shifter, and this is a _tradition_ , and it’s _important_ to him, especially in his first year as a bonded individual. So he’s got to do it.

Sehun runs his hands through his hair--silver like his scales--and tries it again.

\------

Sehun wakes up to Minseok getting dressed, shrugging his jacket on over his white linen shirt. He leans over, kisses Sehun on the forehead. 

“Sleep,” he murmurs, and Sehun smiles sleepily. “We don’t need to fly until later; I’m just going to get breakfast downstairs before my own work.” Sehun murmurs understanding, and Minseok slips out the door.

The moment he’s gone, Sehun jumps out of bed and starts to get dressed. He wants to do this while Minseok’s at breakfast--the audience is key, even if it’ll be the few human riders still in the dining hall and not other dragons. He combs his hair, puts on his best human clothes, the tight, slick leather pants and the loose red silk shirt Minseok had given him last year for Midsummer. He pokes a single silver drop in his ear, glinting prettily in the morning light. (A true cliche: dragons are fond of shiny things). He looks powerful and regal in the mirror, but all Sehun feels is anxious. He swallows it anyway, and walks down to the human dining hall.

Immediately, Sehun realizes he;s made a mistake. Because it’s Challenge Day, the riders are all off-duty, and so breakfast, usually a quiet, mostly empty affair, is for once full, roughly thirty humans talking and laughing loudly at the long tables. He feels the anxiety well up again, but he’s come too far to back out now. 

So Sehun strides through the doorway anyway, head held high and blank mask on, the face Jongin’s rider says “makes him looks like he’s bored with life.” Sehun thinks Baekhyun’s face looks like a deranged puppy, and shouldn’t really talk.

Sure enough, the chatter quiets a little. Though dragons are not an uncommon sight in the dining hall, often dining with their riders, Sehun is not dressed for work, and stands out amidst the practical blues and browns and greens. Sehun tries to ignore the hush, quickly turning to not-unkind whispers, and scans the hall for Minseok. 

“Sehun? What the…” Sehun turns, and sees Minseok standing by the long windows, looking out onto the lake, a cup of coffee in his hands and clearly in the middle of a conversation with Junmyeon. Sehun takes a deep breath and stalks down the hall, trying to look as impressive as possible. 

He’s got tunnel vision, and faster than he’d expected he’s at Minseok. “Wha--” Minseok says, again, before Sehun slams his hand into the wall next to Minseok’s head, causing him to jerk backwards into the window and slosh some coffee on the floor.

Sehun looms down over Minseok like he practiced, and says in his best dragon-y voice, “I challenge you, Rider Minseok.”

Silence falls over the hall, and Sehun finally focuses on Minseok’s face, concentration broken. Minseok looks confused and more than a little amused. “What are you doing, Sehun?” he murmurs, and Sehun feels his stomach drop into his feet. He hears stifled sniggers and giggles behind him, flicks his eyes up to see Junmyeon looking at him with a mix of pity and amusement, and Sehun can feel his face on fire, this was a _mistake, this was a terrible mistake--_

He flings himself backwards, maybe stutters out a half-apology, he’s not sure, and flees.

\------

Minseok finds him, an hour later, curled up in the small pile of rocks and gems and sea glass he’d collected at the back of his cozy cave. Sehun had shifted into dragon form for speed once outside, but had shifted back into human form in the cave to be as small as possible, covered himself with a blanket and tried to hide from the world.

He feels like an idiot, and he knows Jongin is going to laugh at him and Minseok is going to think he’s _so dumb_ and probably sigh over his _pathetic_ dragon--

“Sehun?” Oh no. 

“Go away,” Sehun calls, trying to curl in further and burrow into his shiny pile. Minseok doesn’t listen, footsteps coming closer and the sound of him dragging the heavy furs over that Sehun keeps for Minseok to sit on. They land heavily near Sehun’s back, scattering some of the pile, and Sehun growls a little.

“Hey, Sehun.” Sehun sniffles and doesn’t move.

“Sehunnie.” A touch on his back, small hand warm through his blanket. 

“Sehunnie, look at me.” Minseok’s voice has a hard edge to it now, and Sehun slowly rolls over, face peeking out over his blanket. He knows he looks a mess, tear-streaked and sniffly, and he sees Minseok’s expression go soft.

“Oh, Sehun,” he sighs, and Sehun feels himself break. With a small sob, he rolls over and swiftly climbs into Minseok’s lap, face curled into Minseok’s stomach. He sits there, crying a little, as Minseok’s hand strokes gently through his hair and croons quietly.

After a while, Sehun finds his voice. “I just wanted to--it’s just--it’s Challenge Day,” he finishes, lamely.

Minseok’s hand slips under Sehun’s chin, and he gently draws Sehun up to sit up and face him. “I didn’t realize you wanted to participate,” he says. “To be honest, I didn’t know if we...qualified.” Minseok laughs a little, self-deprecating. “I’m sorry, I should have asked.”

Sehun shakes his head, restricted by the hand under his chin. “No, I mean, I don't know either. I just...it’s something I’ve wanted to do and so I tried to--Jongin suggested I adapt it--it was dumb, I’m sorry, I embarrassed you.” He moves to drop his head but Minseok’s hand forces him up again, and firm lips are pressing on his, warm and comforting and Sehun’s favorite.

“Don’t be sorry,” Minseok says, breaking away. “It was a little surprising, but I’m not embarrassed.” Sehun snorts in disbelief.

“No really, I’m not embarrassed. I’ve seen half that hall do more embarrassing things to themselves than that, and most of all--” he pauses, brushing a lock of hair out of Sehun’s eyes. “I thought it was kind of cute.”

Sehun blushes. “It’s not supposed to be cute, really.”

“Ah, well I also thought you looked really sexy in that outfit, is that more appropriate?” Sehun blushes harder, and looks up to see Minseok grinning at him, not making fun, not angry, just...Minseok.

Sehun’s so gone.  
He nods, and Minseok grins wider. “Good. Now, explain to me, how does this work?” He shifts away, and Sehun blinks. 

“What, you mean…?” He can’t want to...

Minseok nods. “Yeah, Challenge Day! You;ve challenged me, right? What do I do now?” He sits back, arms out in question. 

“Well, you, uh, return the challenge?” Sehun licks his lips, suddenly nervous. There’s a glint in Minseok’s eye, and the next thing Sehun knows, he’s on his back on the furs, Minseok’s weight pinning his hands by his head.

“Like this?” Minseok’s eyes are dark above him, grin suddenly sharp, and Sehun wiggles in excitement. “Yes, just like that,” he says, breathless.

Minseok leans down, noses as Sehun’s neck, just below his ear. “What now?” His voice is rough and whispery, breath hot and sending shivers down Sehun’s spine.

“Well, we uh, fly togethe--”

“Can’t do that,” Minseok interrupts. “Have to skip it. What’s next?” Sehun’s breath hitches.

“After flying we’re supposed to, ah, consummate the bond.” There's a pause, then Minseok lets out a burst of laughter.

“Consummate? You sound like Junmyeon.” Sehun pouts, opening his mouth to whine, but it dies in his throat at the brush of lips along his jaw. 

“But I get the idea,” Minseok murmurs into Sehun’s skin, and then he’s moving down, down, tongue and lips blazing trails along as if Minseok’s the one that can breathe fire, not Sehun. Sehun moans loudly, keening when Minseok opens his pants, wraps his mouth around his dick, only stopping when Minseok shoves two fingers into his mouth to lick. Sehun does, muffled groaning around Minseok’s fingers, suddenly unmuffled when Minseok takes the fingers out only to press them into Sehun’s ass, gently, so gently, but so insistent.

Minseok’s mouth is still around Sehun’s dick, and Sehun tries to buck into the slick warmth, but he’s held down firmly with Minseok’s arm across his belly, and it feels _right_. Minseok is his rider, his partner, his commander, his bonded, and Sehun is so warm, at the thought that Minseok would want to try for him. He tugs at Minseok’s hair, suddenly desperate for his lips, and Minseok slides up willingly, but pins Sehun’s arms up as he kisses.

He holds Sehun there, looming over the much larger shifter, grinding their hips together and then shoving his own pants down to let their dicks slide together. Sehun whines in pleasure, feels so warm, so protected, so comforted by the solid human above him. He comes like that, yelling into their kiss, and his frantic grinding upwards sends Minseok over the edge not long after. 

\------

They curl up later, after a quick cleanup, and Sehun rumbles happily as Minseok pets at his hair.

“Happy Challenge Day,” Minseok whispers, and Sehun leans up to kiss him. They too have taken off work after all, and Sehun is content to spend the rest of the day here, earlier shame forgotten. He doesn’t even care that Jongin will probably laugh at him later for this when he hears.

(Jongin does laugh at him the next day, but Sehun pushes him into the lake in human form and it’s all worth it).


End file.
